Community Corner

🌱 Patch AM: Beluga Whale Dies At Shedd Aquarium After Rescue From Closed Marine Park In Canada

Coming up: Solidarity Sidekick 5K – Supporting ALS Awareness Along Route 66 on the Chicago Patch calendar

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Friday August 28th Patch AM
Friday August 28th Patch AM (Patch graphic)

Hello again Chicago! We're bringing you the latest town highlights. Don't miss out, keep going! ☕️️

In today's newsletter:

  • Rescued beluga dies shortly after arriving at Chicago's Shedd Aquarium
  • How Toni Brooks says she'll fix Chicago's budget without new taxes
  • Are Chicago's TIF districts quietly driving up your property tax bill?

Also on today's calendar: Solidarity Sidekick 5K – Supporting ALS Awareness Along Route 66 and 9 more events.

Today's riddle: What did the tree say when Spring arrived? 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

  • Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high of 80 and low of 67 degrees.
  • Saturday: Sunny spells, temps: high: 81, low: 69.
  • Sunday: Partly sunny and warm, with a high of 87 and low of 72 degrees. 🌶 Hot!

📰 News we're reading

1. Beluga Whale Dies At Shedd Aquarium After Rescue From Closed Marine Park In Canada (patch.com) — Chicago's Shedd Aquarium is mourning the sudden death of Peekachu, a 23-year-old beluga whale recently rescued from the closed Marineland park in Canada. Staff say she initially showed promising signs of adjustment in her new Chicago habitat but declined rapidly this week, and a necropsy is expected to clarify her health issues and cause of death.
   

2. Chicago Mayoral Candidate Toni Brooks on Nonprofit Work, Affordable Housing and Reallocating City Funds (wttw.com) — Chicago voters get a closer look at mayoral hopeful Toni Brooks, who's pitching a grassroots campaign focused on auditing city finances, expanding affordable homeownership, and reallocating funds without raising taxes. The Chicago-born nonprofit leader and veteran also touts a "Shared Power Fund" and West Side housing ideas as she gathers signatures for the upcoming mayoral ballot.
   

3. Report: Chicago TIFs drove up taxes (bigcountrynewsconnection.com) — A new University of Illinois Chicago report says the city's heavy use of tax increment financing has raised property tax rates by about 13.7% between 2014 and 2023 while diverting revenue from schools and parks. Researchers argue most captured growth would have happened anyway and urge scaling back downtown TIFs and tightening state law to protect taxpayers and neighborhoods.
   

4. Chicago records show alderman's office raised concerns about South Chicago Chapel months before raid (abc7chicago.com) — Chicago records reveal 10th Ward Alderman Peter Chico's office flagged odor complaints and licensing questions about South Chicago Chapel months before authorities discovered more than 50 decomposing bodies there. Newly obtained city documents outline years of resident complaints, disturbing conditions found during the August 6 inspection, and a related storage-unit check that turned up only empty caskets, with some inspection outcomes still unclear.
   

5. Bridgeport residents push back on Amtrak plan for Chicago maintenance facility; Durbin and Duckworth seek answers (cbsnews.com) — Bridgeport neighbors are pushing back hard against Amtrak's $900 million plan to move its 24/7 maintenance facility from the South Loop to a viaduct just feet from homes near Guaranteed Rate Field. Residents, Ald. Nicole Lee, and Illinois' U.S. senators are demanding detailed plans, noise and traffic answers, and real community input before construction is expected to start this fall.
   

📸 Around Chicago

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💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

  • Lauren Minear Confronts Emotional Distance on Driving Alternative Single "Ghost" —Robert Monroe Read on Patch
  • Darryl Maximilian Robinson Recalls A Jeff-Winning Long Day's Journey Into Night at The Heartland Cafe Studio —Darryl Maximilian Robinson Read on Patch
  • Dwayne Gretzky Bring Their Viral YouTube Series Home on Dwayne's World Vol. 1 —Robert Monroe Read on Patch
  • A Smarter Way to Outsource Print, Chicago Business Executive Wants to Re-Invent Print Procurement —Bill Read on Patch
  • The Douglas Center Public Hearing Notice —Linda Cordero Read on Patch
  • Please share & repost to help reunite this stray cat!
    Found on August 13, 2026 in Chicago, IL 60601 near Near Harbor cndmnium Association Sharing for a neighbor. For the latest information or to contact… (Nextdoor Graceland West)
  • Back to school is hard for pets as well as kids.
    My niece is a teacher and she took this video of trying to get her dog going so she could get to work on time. lol, "mom - I just want to sleep, 15… (Nextdoor Chevalier)
  • Cintas posted a job opening for Warehouse Associate - Shipping/Receiving - 2nd Shift in Chicago. Apply here.
  • Constellis posted a job opening for Junior K9 Handler in Chicago. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Chicago here.

Ok Chicago! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: What a re-leaf! (Thank you Flo G. for sending it in!)
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Submit it here!

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